Device for indicating the stopping point of a vehicle



May 16, 1939. w N. SMITH -r AL 2,153,310

DEVICE FOR INDICATING' THE STOPPING POINT OF A VEHICLE Original Filed July 1, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet l mmulmll h/u mew/i fan/ares vg/mm May 16, 1939. w. N. SMITH El AL DEVICE FOR INDICATING THE STOPPING POINT OF A VEHICLE 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed July 1 May 16; 1939. w. N. SMITH ET AL.

DEVICE FOR INDICATING THE STOPPING POINT OF A VEHICLE Original Fild July 1, 1935 s Sheets-Sheet a II IL ML TE/B Alj'mn/ Wu I. 10/1 jam-es 4 Fig.-6 is-a cross sectional view taken throug time Ma 16,1939

DEVICE FOR INDICATING STOPPING POINT OF A VEHICLE Walter N. Smith, Cleveland, Ohio, and William H. Sanders, Washington, D. C.

Application July 1, 1935, Serial No. 29,3901) Y Renewed March 25, 1939 8 Claims.-

the stopping point of a vehicle.

There is a definite stopping point of a moving vehicle running on the-level or a moderate slope.

l5 definitely to the driver the point ahead at which the car can be stopped if desired. 7

It is a further object of the invention to achieve such results with apparatus which is simple to construct, sure in operation, and easy to repair 20 and replace.

There are three methods which we employ, and

which are described in this specification, and several forms of apparatus which may be either manually or automatically set. The first method I is to direct the spotlight beam to the stopping point, the spotlight beam being directed to a point on the road ahead of the car, the point being located by the speed of the car. A second method is to employ a controllable sighting device which is controlled by the speed of the car and to look at the stopping point by means of this controllable sighting device. 7

Yet another method is to determine the stopping point by observing the place by a movable marker on an image of the road ahead of the car formed by an optical system. The position of the l of mounting;

Fig. 3 is a detail end view of the spotlight and mounting; r

Fig. 4 is a view taken along the line 4--4 of Figure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows; 5 Fig. 5 is a detail view showing a cam control for the spotlight on line 55 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows;

. the combined speedometerand automatic setter for the stopping point lccation finder;

. (Cl. 33-46) Our inventionrelates to devices for locating Fig. '7 is a fragmentary view showing the mounting of a handsetting arrangement on the steering post of a car;

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of an optical system forming an image of the road 5 Y ahead of the car;

Fig. 9 is a view looking in the housing and on the screen of the optical system shown in Figure 8;

Fig. 10 is a view'taken along the line Ill-I0 19 of Figure 9, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 11 is a top plan view of an instrument for setting the eye level adjustment of a sighting system, and for manually setting the device for adefinite speed;

' Fig. 12 is a view taken along the line l2- -l2 of Figure 11, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 13 is a view taken along the line l3-l3 of Figure 12, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 14 is a longitudinal sectional view of a form of sighting device;

Fig. 15 is a view taken along the line l5-l5 of Figure 14, looking iii the direction of the arrows; 5

Fig. 16 is a view taken along the line lG-IB of Figure 14, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 17 is a sectional view showing the combined automatic and manual setterfor the stop location finder, together with means to shift toeither an automatic or a manual setting;

Figure 18 is a diagrammatic drawing showing the geometry of the sighting device shown in Figures 14, 15 and 16;

Figure 19 is a diagrammatic view illustrating Y the efiect' of a change in height of the drivers eye in resetting the device illustrated in Figures 14, 15 and 16.

Referring to the drawings, in Figure 1 we have illustrated a car I in which sits a driver 2. There 40 is provided in the car a spotlight 3 which throws ;:a beam 4 on the road 5. The beam strikes the 1 road at a point 6 somewhere in front of the car.

The spotlight 3 is inclined to throw the beam 4 so that it will impinge on the road at the point 6 which corresponds to the stopping point of the vehicle for the particular speed at which it is travelling. In' other words, if the vehicle is going rapidly, the point 6 will be further from the car than if the car is moving at a slower speed. The construction of the spotlight 3 and the con- I trol means will vnow be desclibed.

Referring to Figures'2, 3 and 4,we have shown the spotlight 3 mounted on a shaft 1 whichis journaled on support members 8 that are afllxed to the upper interior of the car. The spotlight 3 is adapted to direct the beam through a pane of glass 9, which is afiixed in an aperture 10 near the roof of the car. Mounted on the shaft 1 is an operating lever l I having a cam finger l2 which is adaptedto project within a groove 13 in a cam [4. The cam I4 is pivoted on a shaft l which is journaled at the apex of a support bracket I6, which may be integrally made with one of the brackets 8. It is to be noted that the shaft l5 which is adapted to be aflixed to the cam I4 is eccentrically positioned on the cam l4.

The arrangement is such that upon rotation of cam [4 about the shaft l5, the cam finger l2 will cause the spotlight 3 to tilt to move the beam 4. The rotation of the cam I4 is accomplished by means of a flexible cable or Bowden wire connection IT The setting of the cam I4 is in accordance with thespeed of the car, as will be later described. The setting of the cam l4 may be either manual or automatic, as desired.

The spotlight 3 is provided with an electric lamp 18 having a small filament and positioned approximately at the focal center of a parabolic reflecting mirror l9. There is provided -a front glass member 20 for the spotlight. Manual operation of the device can be obtained by mechanism shown in Figure 7, wherein the Bowden wire I! is adapted to travel to a knurled operating handle 2| mounted on a steering post 22 of the car. The knurled operating handle 2| which twists the Bowden wire H to rotate .the cam l4 also operates an indicating pointer 23, through suitable gearing, to set the indicating pointer at a position corresponding to the pointer 24 of the speedometer 25.

Let us assume that the speedometer needle 24 is pointing to fifty miles an hour, then the needle of the indicator 23 will be pointed to fifty miles an hour by turning the knurled handle 2|. Thus the cam l4 through the Bowden wire I I will be rotated to assume a position for the fifty mile an hour speed, and the spotlight 3 will be so positioned as to direct the beam 4 to the position 6 on the road in front of the car, which will indicate the point at which the car can be stopped by normal application of the brakes. I

Thus there is provided a safety element which is highly desirable. It will also be noted that our device provides a constant check on the efficiency of the brakes, and the operator at all times may determine whether adjustment of the brakes is necessary.

In Figure 6 we have shown an automatic means for setting the cam l4 through the Bowden wire I1. Here we have shown a magnetic drag speedometer having a casing 26 which is mounted on an instrument board 21 of the car. There is an indicating pointer 28 which indicates the speed of the car. This pointer 28 travels over the face 29 of a marked dial. a shaft 30 upon which is mounted a gear 3|. A spring 32 tends to hold the pointer at the zero position. The shaft 30 has mounted at one end a cup 33 which operates within a grooved magnet 34. The grooved magnet 34 is revolved by means of a flexible cable or Bowden wire connection 35 in the usual manner that speedometers are driven through such flexible connection. The rotation of the Bowden wire 35 rotates the magnet 34 through a suitable coupling 36 which is journaled in the casing 26. Rotation of the magnet 34 rotates the cup 33 which rotates the shaft 38 against the tension of the spring 32 and indicates the speed ofthe car by moving the pointer 28 over The pointer 28 is mounted on the indicating face 29. The rotation of the shaft 30 likewise rotates the pinion 3| which meshes with'the pinion 31 mounted on the shaft 38 which is journaled in the casing 26. The shaft 38, througha suitable coupling 39, is attached to the Bowden wire l1.

The operation, therefore, of the speedometer mechanism causes rotation of the Bowden wire ll to rotate the shaft I5 of the cam l4, causing the cam l4 to move. This mechanism just described gives an automatic adjustment of the spotlight 3 through the speed of the car.

Another mechanism is shown in Figures 8, 9 and 10. This comprises an optical system which indicates a stopping point by relation of the movable element to the image of the road.

The optical system comprises a casing 50 havin a sight opening 5| in which is mounted a ground glass screen 52. There is a sloped mirror 53 in the bottom of the casing 5|] which is adapted to reflect rays of light whichpass through a lens 54 mounted in the front of the casing 50. In Figure 8 we have indicated a single ray of light 55 which passes from the point on the road through the lens 54 and is bent thereby, as indicated, and then falls on the mirror 53 where it is reflected as indicated, striking against the ground glass screen 52. There are numbers of rays of light which are thrown on the screen 52, giving on the screen 52 an image of the road, as indicated at 56 (see Figure 9) The casing 50 is provided with an extension casing 51 in which is pivoted a shaft 58 which is coupled, as indicated at 59, to the Bowden wire I! previously referred to. The shaft 58 is adapted to be moved by rotation of the Bowden wire I1, and moves with it the operating arm 68, which is slotted at 6| to receive an operating member 62 that is afiixed at the bottom of a support 63 which carries a wire indicating member 64. While we have shown a straight slot 6|, it will be appreciated that this slot will be curved in practically all instances to compensate for the various variables, such as the projection of the image, the deceleration of thevehicle, and also the'varying rate of lineal speed of the rod' 64 as the arm 60 oscillates. The exact curve, of course, can be calculated by any person skilled in the art. The base of the support 63, which we have indicated by the numeral 65, is adapted to slide in a slot 66 formed in the side of the casing 50.

Upon movement of the operating arm 60 the support 63 is moved back and forth in the slot 66. The position of the operating arm 60 is determined by the speed of the car, and may be set either manually or automatically through rotation of the Bowden wire H. The movement of the support 63 carries with it the .wire 64 which indicates on the image 56 the stopping point on the road upon application of the brakes. It is to be noted that there is a bead formation 61 under which the wire 64 isadapted to slide, which protects it from injury.

Referring to Figures 14, 15 and 16, we have shown a sight mechanism for indicating the stopping point of the car. We prefer to use two sights, instead of only a single one, in order to prevent erroneous fixing of the stopping point arising from a movement of the operator's eyes. The operator must at all times look across the plane defined by the sights, and therefore, when he fails to do this he immediately knows that he has changed the position of his eyes. This mechanism comprises two sights, a front sight 10 near theeye of the observer and a rear sight H bridging the space between them with a sheet-' This might take the form of a sheet of rubber, or other extensible material, ex-' like material.

tending between sights l and II.

The sights are located in front of the driver, and probably in the body of the car. The sight I9 is mounted on a supporting slide member l2 and the sight II on a supporting slide member I3. Each of these members is adapted to reciprocate within the casing I4 which contains a cam member I5 that is pivoted on a shaft I6 within the casing. The shaft I6 is journaled within a movable slide member II which is provided with screw threads at one side (see Figure 14) which engage with screw threads on a screw member I8 that is Journaled at its lower end at I9 in an extension of the casing I4. Through a suitable coupling 89 the screw member 19 is attached to a Bowden wire 8i. The cam member l5'is provided with cam grooves 82 and 83, respectively.

The shaft It projects from the side of the casing and is coupled, as indicated at 84, to the Bowden wire II. Upon rotation of the Bowden wire I l the cam member I5 is caused to rotate, which causes both sights "III and II to move up and down relative to the eye, but at diiierent rates as determined by the diiference in the cam grooves 82 and 83. When the eye of the observer is behind the, sight I0 and trained over the sights I0 and II, he will observe a spot on the road which will be the stopping point of the car under normal application of the brakes. The higher the speed of the car, the higher will sight ll be in relation to sight Ill. thus locating the stopping point a relatively long distance in front of the car. In the drawings we have'shown the device set at approximately high speed, as indicated byv the position of the cam. At low speeds the cam would be revolved to bring the sight II considerably lower with respect to sight I0 than is indicated by the relative position of the sights in the drawings.

In order to properly adjust the sights so that the driver can readily line up his eye over the sights, we have shown means for raising and lowering them both simultaneously and equally, which comprise the screw member I8 which is adapted to be operated by the Bowden wire 8|. Rotation of the screw member I8 will move the movable slide member TI up and down in the casing, carrying with it the shaft 16, the'carn I5 and the sliding members I3 and 12 which raise and lower the sights 'II and I0, equally.

In Figures 18 and 19 we have shown the geometry which relates to the sighting device illustrated in Figures14, and 16. Referring to Figure 18, 85' represents the drivers eye, points 86 and'81 represent the cross bars of sights II and 18. The line from 85 through 86 and 81 if pro,- longed would strike the road at the stopping point; this line may be called the sight line 88. As drawn .in Figure 18, it may correspond to a -car speed of, say, sixty miles an hour. At a lower speed, say forty milesan hour, the stopping point will be" closer to the carand the sight line will make a greater'angle with the plane of the road. The sight line for this lowerspeed is 89, passing through 'points 85, 99 and 9,], points 99 and SI corresponding to sight members I0 and II, .re-

spectively. Thus, both sight lines pass through the eye, and no shift of the driver's eye. is fiieces sary to sight out the closer stopping point. To

secure these operations, when the car speed decreases, sight bar ID will be lowered to the position of point 99, and sight bar II to the point 9|.

In Figure 18 the line through 95, 92 and 93 is a reference line drawn parallel to the road; lines 90 to 92 and N to 93 are perpendicular to line 85-92-93. It is' evident that triangle 85-93- 81 is similar to triangle 85-92-98; also that triangle 85-92-99 and triangle 85-93-9I are similar. Displacements of sighting bars or sights I8 and II occurring along lines 92-90 and 93- M, respectively, may be measured from line 35- 92-93. These displacements are then evidently similar. They may readily be computed for determination of the properratio or shape of slots 83-82 in cam I5.

The effect of the change in the height of the drivers eye may be explained by reference to Figure 19. Here 94 represents the position of the drivers eye and 95 is his sight line to stopping point 99. Line 96-91 is the'road with 91-99 perpendicular to 96-97. Suppose 98 is another possible position for the drivers eye, perhaps as he sits in a more erect position. In general the raise the sight bars an equal amount to points III2-I03 respectively. Thus is the eye adjustment for raising both sight bars made by the sliding member 11 and the screw member I8.

Referring to Figures 11, 12 and 13, we have shown a manual means for rotating the Bowden wire I1 to given an indication of the stop for a particular speed. Here we have shown a casing III] on which is mounted a scale III which is mounted on an extension II 20f the casing I III; This scale III is held in place by a screwed-on collar I I3, which fits on screw threads on the extension II 2. We have shown a smaller collar' I I4 which lies on a shaft I I5 which is .iournaled within the extension 2' of the casing IIII. Against this collar I I4 bears an annular flange I I8 which lies adjacent an enlargement I II of the shaft'l I5- An operating knob H8 is placed over the extension I I2 of the shaft I I5, and is held in place by-means of a sunken screw H9. The operating knob carries a plate I28 provided with a'pointer I2I which is adapted to cooperate with the scale III.

Mounted on the extension II2 oi" the casing I I 0, and adapted to rotate thereon, is a, knurled dial I22 which is' held against an annular portion of the extension II 2 by means of a. washer I23 and a nut I24. The shaft H5 is coupled at I25 to the Bowden wire I'I. Journaled in the casing H8 is I a shaft.)I26. carrying a pinion I21 that meshes with gear teeth I28 formed on the operating member I22.

This shaft I28 is coupled at I29 to the Bowden wire 8|. The Bowden wire I I may bev revolved by turningv the operating knob II 8, and-the setting may' be made for the desired speed, as indicated; for instance, at forty-five miles anhour in Figure ll. By revolving knurled member I22, sha ft I26 maybe revolved through small gear I 21 meshing with gear teeth 128 on the knurled mem-- ber I22. 7 This, through the coupling I28, rotates the Bowden'wire 8| which will operate'to rotate the screw'member 18 and raise or lower the sights 10 and H, respectively and equally, to adjust for the normal height of the driver's eye, as previously explained.

Referring now to Figure 1'7, we have shown an arrangement whereby we may use either an automatic operation of the Bowden wire I1 to set our device by the speed of the car, or we may use manual operation, as desired.

Referring to Figure 17, we have shown a casing for a speedometer mechanism which is similar to the speedometer mechanism shown in Figure 6, the only difference being that the shaft 38 does not connect directly with the Bowden wire I1 but connects with a spur gear I50 which engages with another spur gear I5I mounted on a shaft I52, which slides on and-is splined to a shaft I52, journaled at I53 at its top and I54 at its bottom in an auxiliary casing I55. A holding ring I54, which is attached to the shaft I52,

- holds the shaft I52 in position within the casing I55. The shaft I52 is provided with annular rings I56 which form a groove in which operate cam fingers I51 garried on a bifurcated end I58 of a bell crank I59 pivoted at I60.

The bell crank is slotted at one end and a screw I 6|, mounted on a rod I62, passes through the slot: The rod I62 is provided with an enlarged portion I63 which has ball engaging grooves I64 and I65. The enlarged portion I63 of the rod I62 is adapted to slide in a cylindrical casing I66. In the top of the casing is a spring housing I61 closed by a screw I68. The bottom portion of the screw bears against a spring I69 which in turn bears against a ball I10. The arrangement is such that the ball I10 is adapted to engage with the ball grooves I64 and I65 on the enlarged por tion of the shaft I63. The engagement of the ball I10under the pressure of the spring I69 in either one of the grooves I64 or I65 tends to hold the rod in a fixed position, but by manual pull on a rod I1I which is attached to the rod I62, by pulling or pushing on a handle I12, the rod I62 may be made to assume the desired position.

In Figure 1'1 the ball I10 is shown lying 'in the groove I65, which causes the bell crank lever I59 to assume the position shown in the drawings, in which the spur gear I5I meshes with the spur gear I50 and the control of the rotation of the Bowden wire I1 is automatic. By pulling out on the handle I12, the rod I62 may be madetoassume the position where the enlarged portion of the rod I63 is positioned so that the bail I10 lies withinthe groove I64. This causes the bell crank I59 to move the rod I52 downward so that the spur gear I13 engages with a spur gear I 14 for manual operation and rotation of the Bowden wire. The spur gears I50 and I5I will then be out of mesh and the automatic operation will not be possible.

In order to move the spur gear I14 when it is in contact with the spur gear I13 to give manual operation of the Bowden wire l1, we have shown the spur gear I14 attached to a shaft I15 which is journaled in the casing I53. Attached to the shaftis a coupling I16 which is attached to a flexible connection, such as a Bowden wire I11. This wire, or'flexible connection, I11 is attached by a coupling I18 to,a shaft I19 which is journaled in the casing I80. The shaft I19 is attached to a shaft I8I which is adapted to be rotated by an operating knob I82. The shaft I19 carries a gear I83 which meshes with a gear I84. The gear I84 is mounted on a shaft I85 journaled in the casing the spur gear I14 which is now in mesh with the spur gear I13, and thus the shaft I52 is rotated to rotate the Bowden wire I1 to adjust the stopping point location finder to the proper angular setting for the speed at which it is set.

By the mechanism shown in Figure 17, we are enabled to either have the stopping location finder set automatically through interlinking with the speedometer, or we can shift the clutch mechanism described and obtain a manual setting. It will of course be appreciated that the device shown in Figure 12 may be substituted for the manual setter shownin Figure 1'1.

When changing from automatic to manual operation, or vice' versa, it is of course necessary that the reading of the two-speed indicators of the device shown in Figure 17 must correspond.

It will of course be appreciated that various adjustments may be necessary in the structures here disclosed to accord with the actual operating conditions of any particular automobile, or the instruments themselves, (such as the shapes of the cams, etc.), butsuch adjustments will be apparent to any skilled operator.

While we have shown and described the preferred embodiment of our invention, we wish it to be understood that we do not confine ourselves to the precise details of construction herein set forth by way of illustration, as it is apparent that many changes and variations may be made therein, by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention, or exceeding the scope of the appended claims. I

We claim:

1. A device for indicating the stopping place of a moving vehicle, two sights, means to verti cally adjust said sights relative to each other in accordance with the speed of the vehicle comprising a cam for controlling the two sights, a speedometer, a shaft rotated by the speedometer proportional to the speed of the vehicle, a manually operable setter shaft, a flexible cable for transmitting the motion of either shaft to the cam, and manually operable gear means for selectively connecting either shaft to said cable.

2. In a device for indicating the stopping place of a moving vehicle, two sights, means to vertically adjust said sights relative to each other in accordance with the speed of the vehicle comprising a, cam for controlling the two sights, a speedometer, a shaft rotated by the speedometer, amanually operable setter shaft, a flexible cable for transmitting the motion of either shaft'to the cam, and manual means to adjust the height of both sights.

3. A device for indicating the stopping point of a moving vehicle on a road comprising a pair of parallel horizontal bars carried by the vehicle and so arranged as to form a plane for the line of vision of the driver, and means to vary arcaaio eyes to thereby vary the angle of said planewith the road.

4. A device for indicating the stopping point of a moving vehicle comprising two sights defining a plane inclined to intersect the road ahead of said vehicle, means responsive to the speed of the vehicle to automatically vertically adjust said sights relative to each other and to the position of the operators eyes to vary said inclination, and means to simultaneously and equally adjust the height 01' the two sights to suit the convenience of, the user.

5. In a device for indicating the stopping point of a moving vehicle, a casing, two supports having reciprocatory vertical movement within the casing each bearing a sight, cam means to adjust said supports vertically relative to each other, a manually operated means adapted to be set at the speed of the vehicle, and means linking the last mentioned means and the cam means in order to adjust the inclination of the plane defined by said sights in accordance with the speed of the vehicle.

6. A device for locating the stopping point of a moving vehicle comprising a casing, supports carriedby said casing having vertical reciprocatory movement within the casing, sights carried by said supports respectively, means to vertically adjust the supports in accordance with the speed of the vehicle, and means to adjust the height or the casing, supports and sights as a unit to suit the convenience of the user, comprising a slide to raise the casing, a screw meshing speed of the car, means linking the last mentioned means and the cam means, in order to adjust the sights in accordance with the speed of thevehicle, and means to adjust the height of the two sights simultaneously to suit the convenience of the user comprising a slide to raise the casing, a screw meshing therewith, and

manual means to operate the screw.

8. A device for indicating the stopping point of a moving vehicle on a road comprising parallel horizontal bars carried by the vehicle and so arranged as to form a plane for the line of vision of the driver, and means to differentially vary the elevation of both'bar's to thereby rotate the plane about an axis formed, by a substantially horizontal line through the drivers eyes to thereby vary the angle of said plane with the road.

WALTER. N. SMITH. WILLIAM H. SANDERS. 

